In August 2020 Google made some changes to Google Drive. Files can no longer be in multiple locations; instead, shortcuts are used.

Learn more from Google Workspace Updates: Expanding shortcuts in Google Drive, reducing unorganized files.

This change has an impact on move operations in some Team Folders.

Note: Secured Folders are fully controlled by AODocs. As AODocs doesn't support shortcuts, it is not possible to create shortcuts in Secured Folders.

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Which AODocs libraries are affected by the changes to Google Drive?

This change has a small impact on move operations in Team Folders in which only administrators can change the sharing permissions. Learn more about this setting:

• in AODocs: Administrators only is defined for the Who can change permissions setting in the Library security dialog
• in Google Drive: the checkbox Allow permissions to be changed at the subfolder and file levels in the Permissions tab in the Security center is not selected

Important:
– The details in this article apply only if your Team folder has this setting activated.
– Secured Folders, Document Management libraries, and Team folders in which all users can change permissions are not affected by the changes to shortcuts in Google Drive.

What’s the impact of this change on move operations?

As of August 2020, Google Drive considers that moving a file or subfolder in Google Drive changes its permissions. This doesn’t affect how standard Google Drive functions because all users with edit access can change the permissions of files and folders.

However, if you have activated the AODocs security setting Only administrators can change permissions in your Team Folder, contributors can no longer move files because moving files may involve changing permissions. Of course, your contributors need to be able to move files in Team Folders, so we have implemented an experimental workaround, which we plan to continue improving in upcoming releases.

Summary of the workaround

If the setting Interpret internal shortcuts as move operation is activated in the Team Folder’s library security:

1. When a user moves a document or folder using the Google Drive interface, AODocs creates a temporary shortcut.

2. AODocs moves the document or folder and then deletes the shortcut.

As an administrator, make sure users can move documents and folders in Team Folders

1. Open the library security of a Team Folder in which only administrators can change the sharing permissions.

2. Select the Root folder permissions tab.

3. Select the checkbox Interpret internal shortcuts as move operations.

Important: When you activate this option, all internal shortcuts in your library are interpreted as move operations. If there are any existing internal shortcuts in your library, the documents or folders concerned will be automatically moved to the location of the internal shortcut.

4. Click Save.

As a user, move documents and folders in Team Folders using Google Drive

Notes:
– Only move operations in Google Drive are impacted by Google’s changes to shortcuts. You can move documents or folders using the AODocs interface as standard.
– If you have the Smarbar installed and have access to the root level of the Team Folder, you can use the Move to button provided by the Smartbar to move your files and folders individually. You can also move several files and folders in one go in AODocs.
Learn more: Move documents or folders to a different folder in the AODocs interface.

If the setting Interpret internal shortcuts as move operation is activated in your Team Folder, there are two ways to move documents and folders:

• drag and drop to a new location: a shortcut is created, AODocs then moves the document or folder and deletes the shortcut
• create a shortcut via the drop-down menu: AODocs interprets the shortcut you create as a move operation, so moves the document or folder, and then deletes the shortcut

Create a shortcut (perform a move operation) by drag and drop

1. Drag and drop a document or folder to the required location.

2. In the Add to shared folder? dialog, click Add shortcut.

A temporary shortcut is created: a message appears at the bottom of your screen.
AODocs then moves the selected document or folder and removes the shortcut.

You can now access your document or folder in its new location.

Note: You can’t drag and drop documents and folders via the breadcrumb. Learn more: Limitations.

Create a shortcut (perform a move operation) via the drop-down menu

1. Right-click the document or folder you want to move.

2. Select Add shortcut to Drive in the drop-down menu.

3. Select the required folder.

Note: You can select any folder in the library, including the root.

4. Click Add shortcut. AODocs creates a temporary shortcut, moves the selected document or folder, and then removes the shortcut.

You can now access your document or folder in its new location.

Limitations

• It may take a few seconds for AODocs to delete the shortcut and move the file.
• You can’t drag and drop documents and folders via the breadcrumb, due to inconsistencies in the way Google Drive implements the shortcut changes. When you drag and drop via the breadcrumb, a message appears indicating that some people may lose access. However, when you click OK, an error message appears at the bottom of your screen and the move operation isn’t performed.

Instead, drag and drop your document or folder into a new location in the main Google Drive screen or create a shortcut.

• The Move to option isn’t available in the right-click drop-down menu because it requires the right to change permissions.

Instead, move your document or folder by drag and drop or create a shortcut.

• You can’t set up internal shortcuts within the Team Folder, as all internal shortcuts are interpreted as move operations. If there are any existing internal shortcuts in your library when you activate the option Interpret internal shortcuts as move operations, the documents or folders concerned will be moved automatically to the location of the internal shortcut.

However, you can set up shortcuts outside the Team Folder.